Beastly decisison by Children's Book Council

The decisions of the Children’s Book Council of Australia never fail to disappoint.

Year after year the judges make decisions that are bewildering in their stupidity and even arrogance.

Year after year the body which has a charter “to engage the community with literature for young Australians” makes perplexing and confusing decisions that rate books that are important and worthy ahead of books that children will love to read.

But now, the council has outdone it self an moved beyond irritating and mystifying to mind-blowingly inappropriate and just downright wrong.

The winner of the Picture Book of the Year Requiem for a Beast by Matt Ottley contains not only violent images of a blood-stained axe used to kill Aboriginals but also the f word numerous times.

Since when did we reward phrases such as “íf you do it again you little black arsehole, your goin’t’be in the fuckin’ river” followed closely by “Jesus Christ he even pissed himself. You fuckin dirty little animal” in picture books.

Yes, Matt Ottley has a serious story to tell about the psychological problems in youth, suicide, the stolen generation and the plight of Aboriginal Australia. Yes, the judges make it clear that a picture book might not be for young children.

But there are other values which must be considered when evaluating this title and surely appropriate community standards is one of them.

This book contains no warning about language on its cover and no indication about its content – all that’s there now is a large gold sticker naming it as the Picture Book of the Year. Well-meaning parents will see that as a gold-plated endorsement of the book without any adequate warning.

Well they would see it as that if they find a bookshop that stocks it. Five attempts to buy the book from large retailers on the weekend failed. Four had never heard of it and a couple couldn't pronounce the title. One retailer believed it was in stock. He pulled out a step ladder, climbed up to the top shelf, removed two books from the front of the shelf and then found there were no copies left.

So a book hidden at the back of a top shelf is going to engage the community with literature for young people? Exactly how is that going to happen? Perhaps in much the same way as Windsor Smith sells shoes – create interest through controversy.

Here’s an alternative plan. What about creating interest by rewarding the books children like to read? The Children’s Book Council should try it for once. The novelty might surprise them.